


Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing (But Not For Us)

by chaletian



Series: the space between Natasha and Bruce is a neutral zone armed with mistrust and cynicism [2]
Category: Incredible Hulk (2008), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-04
Updated: 2012-05-04
Packaged: 2017-11-04 20:24:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/397872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaletian/pseuds/chaletian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I don’t want anyone to play Ann Darrow to my King Kong,” Banner says quietly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing (But Not For Us)

Dr Elizabeth Ross appears two months later. Natasha’s brought over some schematics that Fury wants Stark to manufacture, and she stands in Stark’s lab, ignoring him bitch about the indignity of Fury treating him like whatever, she’s not listening. She can see Banner through a glass partition, and she recognises the woman as Dr Ross. Dark-haired, beautiful, brilliant – no surprise that Banner’s in love with her. Natasha’s read the file, she knows that Ross stood up to her father, that she tried to help Banner. All for love. It’s practically a fairy tale.

Natasha’s always hated fairy tales.

Although, in the other room, it doesn’t look like things are going well. Ross is agitated, and Banner... Natasha’s hackles rise and she can feel the adrenaline start. Banner’s upset. He’s not shouting (not yet), but she can see the tension in how he’s holding himself.

She reaches for her gun, the gesture automatic, but Ross is leaving (crying, _bozhe moi_ ), and Banner’s got his back to them.

“Take it up with the Director, Stark,” she says, and walks away.

Natasha gets as far as the elevator before professional pride kicks in. She can’t in good conscience leave before checking that Banner isn’t going to hulk out and destroy Stark Tower and all it contains. When she gets back to the lab, Banner is tapping at a screen, and she would leave it there, but he sees her and nods his head in greeting, and it was only last week Hill gave her a dressing down on _maintaining amicable relations with your team-mates_ , so she opens the door.

“Agent Romanoff,” says Banner. “Can I help you?”

“Just checking everything’s OK,” she replies. She doesn’t have her hand on her gun, nothing so provocative, but Banner always knows she’s ready. She’s made sure of that.

“Fine,” he says. He’s smiling (a little bitterly). “I take it you saw me talking to Betty. You needn’t worry, Agent Romanoff, I’m not about turn into – what was it? – a big, green rage monster because I had a disagreement with an ex.”

“Good,” says Natasha, and doesn’t point out that, as far as anyone knows, it’s not so much “an” ex as “the” ex, which tends to make things less casual.

And... yes. “I ended it,” Banner says. Natasha’s face is impassive. Banner looks like he might want to talk about his feelings. Natasha doesn’t do that. She’s reasonably sure Banner doesn’t really do that either, so this is unlikely to end well. “I mean, it ended by default a while ago. There was an incident with some gamma radiation, and it turned out the other guy wasn’t the romantic type. But. She thought things were different now.”

He turns away, plays with the 3D wireframes of some project he and Stark are working on.

“You’re not in hiding in a second world slum any more,” Natasha feels bound to point out.

“Because that’s what the problem was,” replies Banner. “Don’t tell me you believe in the power of love, Romanoff, because that seems very out of character for you.”

“Love is for children and idiots,” says Natasha.

“And I am neither of those,” says Banner. “What I am, is...” He tails off, and sighs, and takes off his glasses, cleaning them against his shirt. “I don’t want anyone to play Ann Darrow to my King Kong,” he says quietly.

Natasha’s seen the pictures of the monster with Elizabeth Ross. Most people would think it was romantic, but most people are fools.

“We should both get back to work,” she says, and Banner smiles.

“Yes, we should. It’s always a pleasure, Agent Romanoff.”

“Dr Banner.”

Love is for children and idiots, and definitely not for people like them.

 

FIN


End file.
